| Title: | Robert Moat, [U.S.A.?] to Richard [Cordner?], [Ireland?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 1787 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Moat, Robert/3 |
| Year | 1856 |
| Sender | Moat, Robert |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Canada |
| Destination | Ireland |
| Recipient | Rev Richard Cordner |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | Donated by Mr. W. Shaw, 4 Coolreaghs Road, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, Transcribed by Dr Ruth Ann Harris, Brookline, U.S.A.< |
| Archive | Centre for Migration Studies |
| Doc. No. | 405003 |
| Date | 10/03/1856 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 04:05:2004. |
| Word Count | 437 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Letter 7: Robert Moat to his cousin, Richard Rev. John Cordner 10th March 1856 My Dear Richard, I need not write a description of my passage as you will all have read that. I have not seen the earth since I arrived here except in such places as they had cleared away with axes and shovels for the snow is that hard it requires both and even then it was only a small piece of path way and they are all covered with planks instead of flags. Oh I believe I saw a small patch where the snow was blown off. There has been three or four snow storms since I arrived while there has only been one fall of rain this winter something different from Ireland. There are no hedges here at all. The fields are all divided by wooden fences put up in the simplest way. The part through which I passed on the railway was settled chiefly by French who divided their fields into long narrow stripes. I don't know the reason. The country is very hilly and looks very bleak all covered with snow, with here and there a few villages composed of about two dozen wee bits of wooden houses. There are two or three small towns in which I was told the largest mills in the world were but of course I couldn't see them from the train. There have been some tremendous fires here. The high school was burnt a short time ago and two or three years ago I forgot how many thousand houses were burnt in one fire but where they once were there is acre after acre of ruins among which is the bishops palace, four columns of which still stands showing the splendid edifice it must have been. They belong to the porch. But new houses are quickly springing up. I took a six mile walk on snow shoes the other day. They were about 2 1/2 feet long by 11 inches wide. I have a pair about 3 feet or 5 1/2 long by about 2 wide. They are tremendous. If I ever go home I will go in snow shoes, moccasins, blanket coat, fur cap, fur gloves and all other Canadian appendages. The blanket coats are various descriptions, some are white and just like a blanket made into a coat with the stripe that is usually on a blanket on them, also with a hood like what the ladies wear in Ireland, so its a very handsome affair. You can fancy yourself. I intended going to another race on Saturday but the day was so disagreeable I did not go. I must now conclude Believe me to remain Robt. [Robert?] Moat Write soon to Mr. Cordman's address 1 Beaver Hall Montreal Transcribed by |
